Client devices in a television-based entertainment system include set top boxes such as cable boxes, satellite receivers, video cassette recorders (VCRs), and digital video recorders (DVRs). Some client devices have recording capabilities and can be set-up to record a television (TV) program currently being broadcast. Typically, a client device is set-up to record a TV program ahead of time on a particular date at a certain starting time, on a particular broadcast channel, and for a particular duration. On the particular date, the client device tunes a tuner to the particular channel at the particular starting time and records the TV program being broadcast on the particular channel for the particular duration. After the recording of the TV program has been made, the recording can be played back for the enjoyment of a viewer. In the case of DVRs, the TV program doesn't have to finish recording before a viewer can start playing it back to watch it.
The general object of making a recording of a TV program is to be able to play back and thus enjoy the TV program at other than the broadcast time thereof. Various incidents can occur any one of which are likely to prevent such a play back, such as an incident that prevents the client device from recording the TV program. A viewer has an unpleasant experience with the client device when the desired recording is not made or when a recording that was made can not be played back. Moreover, the unpleasant nature of the experience is exacerbated for a viewer when the client device fails to provide an adequate explanation as to why the TV program could be neither recorded nor played back. It would be desirable to enhance viewer experience with a client device by informing the viewer of incidents likely to prevent the desired play back of the TV program. Consequently, there is a need for improved methods, client devices, digital video recorders, computer programs, and systems that can provide such a capability.